D. B. Harris Map

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Here’s an unpublished map of the First Bull Run battlefield, by Confederate engineer D. B. Harris. According to the notation, this sketch was used by Beauregard to prepare his map of the battlefield. It’s a recent acquisition of the Manassas National Battlefield Park and has been provided by Ranger Jim Burgess. You’ll need to use your photo viewer’s zoom to see the detail. I’ve viewed the original and it’s quite faded. It’s difficult to tell exactly what is being depicted here – for instance, is this as of a point in time or does it show movement? Look at all the guns shown north of the Warrenton Pike, for instance. Click once for a larger image. Click that image for a really large image.

By sketch I mean this was made on the field and was not a final product. As noted on the map, it was surveyed, so it is more than a free-hand sketch. FYI, Confederate items are in blue.

Harry-this is amazing. Thank you so much for posting. For a sketch, it is amazingly clear. Anyone fairly familiar to the area can see the layout well and if you have hiked over this area, some of the old roads/landmarks are immediately familiar. I appreciate you posting this and glad it is a recent acquisition to the Battlefield.

Know what is the story of the engineer who rendered this map-D.B. Harris?

Allan, David Bullock Harris was an 1833 graduate of West Point. He resigned two years after graduation and became an engineer on canals and railways, then settled into planter life. He’s listed on most OOBs as an a-d-c to Beuaregard at BR1, but also appears to have been working on Cocke’s staff. Harris would be with Beauregard for the rest of the war, and under Bory’s direction Harris planned and constructed the defenses of Charleston, SC. He died of yellow fever in Summerville, SC in October 1864, before his promised promotion to Brigadier General could be formally finalized. Check out this site:

Harry, this is probably the single most important map ever done of the First Manassas battlefield. Back in my NPS Bull Run days, we referred to it constantly. Much of the artillery on the field today conforms with this map. Thanks for sharing it.

Dulce bellum inexpertis

“I am sending you these little incidents as I hear them well authenticated. They form, to the friends of the parties, part of the history of the glorious 21st. More anon.”

About

Hello! I’m Harry Smeltzer and welcome to Bull Runnings, where you'll find my digital history project on the First Battle of Bull Run which is organized under the Bull Run Resources section. I'll also post my thoughts on the processes behind the project and commentary on the campaign, but pretty much all things Civil War are fair game. You'll only find musings on my “real job” or my personal life when they relate to this project. My mother always told me "never discuss politics or religion in mixed company”, and that's sound advice where current events are concerned.

The Project

This site is more than a blog. Bull Runnings also hosts digitized material pertaining to First Bull Run. In the Bull Run Resources link in the masthead and also listed below are links to Orders of Battle, After Action Reports, Official Correspondence, Biographical Sketches, Diaries, Letters, Memoirs, Newspaper Accounts and much, much more. Take some time to surf through the material. This is a work in process with no end in sight, so check back often!